Chapter 85: Yaxuan (Patreon)

The Gengar Trainer was actually quite strong.

After the fight had made them acquainted, he told Renan he'd been traveling for over two years. But because he wasn't a mainline Trainer, he'd always lacked the foundation that went by the name of the "Pokédex."

On top of that, he wasn't ruthless enough to catch a Pokémon and then release it.

That was why he'd been stuck at Elite class Trainer with no progress, and he was now considering whether to switch to another profession.

Compared to him, the opponents Renan faced over the next two days were clearly a little weaker.

That wasn't to say their Pokémon were low-level. Any contestant who fought their way into the top 32 had at least one Elite class Pokémon as a baseline.

What it really came down to was the Trainers' command skills. The moment a battle began, they threw out all four of their Pokémon's moves one after another, with no synergy between them.

That let Renan counter them with relative ease.

One match a day, and before long it was the thirteenth day of the Battle Festival.

Now that he was one of the top eight, Renan's mindset had visibly relaxed.

Each of the top eight could claim one high-grade item of their choice, and the winner would additionally serve for a day as the nominal Aura Braver.

So if all he wanted was to milk Cameran Palace for its rewards, making the top eight was already more than enough.

Whatever the real purpose, the official reason for holding the Battle Festival had always been to commemorate Aaron, the Aura Braver.

For that very reason, starting from the quarterfinals, all contestants and spectators would be required to change into period costume.

The contestants who were actually fighting, especially, almost all turned into "Aura Bravers."

Renan wasn't someone with striking looks. At most, you could call him presentable.

But clothes make the man, as they say.

Once he'd changed into the same outfit and cloak worn by the figure in the portraits of Aaron hanging all over the castle, he looked a good deal more refined.

At least, when Misty saw him again in the corridor, holding the incubator, she couldn't help blushing a little.

Maybe the festival's cheerful atmosphere had gotten to him these past few days. Renan raised both arms, spun in place, and asked with a hint of flippancy, "Well?"

Misty blinked. "Well, what?"

"I mean this getup."

Misty looked away. "I-It's okay, I guess."

"Just okay?" Renan took a step toward the girl.

Misty was startled by how different he was acting from usual. She backed away as she corrected herself. "Fine! You look really handsome."

Only after hearing that answer did Renan smile, satisfied. He murmured, "I finally get why Uncle keeps so many capes in his wardrobe. In some respects, these things really do boost your looks."

Misty said nothing.

Does the Dragon-type Elite Four member know his nephew is badmouthing him behind his back?

As a contestant and his traveling companion, the two had been assigned a single dressing room.

But the next room over belonged to other people, and not long after Renan finished speaking, a hearty laugh drifted over to them.

"Hahaha! You two lovebirds really are interesting."

They followed the sound, and another "Aura Braver"—a grown-up version, this time—came into view.

Renan knew who it was. There were only eight contestants left, after all.

To gather intel before his matches, Renan needed to know what Pokémon each of the others had.

On top of that, this man had appeared in the anime of his previous life, and he carried a very powerful energy fluctuation.

So Renan took the chance to call out, "Mr. Riley."

That's right: Riley, a genuine Aura Guardian.

Who knew what he'd been thinking, coming all the way to take part in the festival Cameran Palace held to commemorate Aaron, the Aura Braver.

Riley wasn't surprised that Renan knew him.

After all, of the eight contestants remaining, only he and the boy in front of him were ability users.

Even so, Riley held out a hand to Renan. "Let's introduce ourselves properly. I'm Riley, an Aura Guardian. I'm traveling right now in order to become a proper one."

At those words, Misty, standing to one side, tilted her head. "Aura Guardian? That sounds a lot like Aura Braver."

Renan helped explain. "An Aura Guardian is someone who can sense Aura and fight with it. Aaron, the man Cameran Palace commemorates, was essentially an Aura Guardian too. People just gave him the title of 'Braver.'"

He turned back to Riley, raised his hand, and shook with him. "Renan, psychic. I'm currently challenging the Indigo League."

He had quite a few identities in the Pokémon world: psychic, Trainer, and Breeder.

But since Riley had chosen to reveal that he was an Aura Guardian, Renan would show respect by presenting himself as a psychic.

Though through Aura and mental waves, the two of them had recognized each other long ago.

"And this is Misty, who's traveling with me." Renan let go of his hand and gestured to the girl beside him.

Riley, being an Aura Guardian, was clearly no bad person.

He greeted her with a smile. "Nice to meet you, Misty."

The girl seemed haughty, but she'd been raised well. She quickly replied, "Nice to meet you too, Mr. Riley."

Since there was still some time before their matches, the three of them headed toward the spectator stands, chatting as they walked.

"Mr. Riley, since you're an Aura Guardian, is Aaron the Aura Braver by any chance your ancestor?" Misty asked curiously.

Riley nodded. "You could say that. Lord Aaron was my ancestor's own brother. I happened to arrive to pay my respects at his tomb just as the Battle Festival was starting, so I thought I'd enter. If I win first place, I can use the temporary 'Aura Braver' title to get a feel for the Braver's Staff."

"The Braver's Staff? What's that?"

Riley explained. "The Braver's Staff was Lord Aaron's weapon. An Aura crystal from the area around the Tree of Beginning is set in its tip, so when an Aura Guardian holds it, it can amplify their Aura to a certain degree. And according to what my forebears passed down, a trace of Lord Aaron's Aura still lingers in the staff. With that trace, I can confirm the direction I should grow stronger in."

He added, "Of course, if I don't win the tournament, I plan to be received by the Queen as an Aura Guardian and apply to borrow the Braver's Staff for a day."

It was fair to say Riley was determined to get the Braver's Staff.

Renan raised an eyebrow as he listened. He had mentioned before that the magic inside him was a combination of Psychic and Fairy type energy, and in some respects it was very similar to how Aura manifested. If the Braver's Staff could really amplify Aura, then in theory it should be able to temporarily strengthen his own magic too.